Can You Drink Coffee With Retainers? The Ultimate Answer Is Here!

Most coffee lovers admit they can’t start their new day and feel tired if they don’t have a cup of joe every morning.

If you are a coffee lover, you will have the same feeling. The truth is that a cup of coffee can lift your spirits for a long working day.

While this drink has benefits, it may cause drawbacks, like staining your pearly white teeth.

Have you just removed the braces? Can you drink coffee with retainers? This article will discuss this question, so you can get an ultimate answer.

Let’s scroll down to learn more!

What Are Retainers?

Retainers are custom-made teeth devices to keep across your teeth. Your teeth are not entirely firm in the new position after having braces to straighten them.

Your teeth might shift position due to habits like chewing and grinding, which strain them.

Shifting teeth may cause malocclusion. It’s the time when you close your mouth, and the lower and upper teeth can’t align.

When dentists remove the braces, nothing keeps a person’s teeth from shifting back to the original position.

For this reason, wearing these aligners is essential to maintain straight teeth after releasing the braces.

The two main types of retainers include:

• Fixed retainers: You cannot remove them yourself because it’s attached to your teeth using an adhesive. They often stay on the upper, lower, or front teeth to keep them from shifting.
• Removable retainers: You can take this type in or out of your teeth. They are custom-made devices according to your teeth.

Can You Drink Coffee With Retainers?

The short answer is No! You should avoid coffee when wearing retainers because these items are sensitive and may lead to adverse effects.

What happens if you consume coffee while using retainers? Do you need immediate dental care?

Fortunately, you are not in serious trouble if you drink coffee without releasing your retainers.

However, you shouldn’t regularly make this mistake. Below are the primary issues if you deliberately enjoy your drink with your retainers:

They Stain Your Teeth.

Coffee stains your teeth, which is by far the worst problem. Whatever the retainers, this drink may stain your teeth.

This beverage contains tannins. This substance may penetrate the tiny crevices in your teeth and settle there.

The coffee may stick to your retainers while you’re wearing them. This drink might accumulate inside the aligners or stay on the metal.

Coffee will stay on your teeth for a more extended period. If that’s the case, it will stain your teeth over time.

You can solve this issue by releasing your retainers. However, ensure coffee doesn’t remain on your teeth before wearing the aligners again.

Otherwise, your teeth will get stained with coffee held there.

Your Retainers May Get Damaged.

Few people realize that coffee may damage the retainers if they forget to remove them before enjoying their cup of joe.

If the coffee is hot, your aligners may become more brittle and less durable. It also applies to cold coffee.

You may prevent harm to your retainer by taking it out in advance. Also, it’s worth noting that hot water can’t cause your devices to be destroyed immediately.

However, some types of retainers may be more temperature-sensitive than others. The situation worsens if it’s an old or unfit retainer.

While the damage may not happen instantly, you should never consume coffee when using these devices to avoid unwanted issues.

If you want to sip coffee, it’s advisable to remove your retainers first. Otherwise, give up your addiction temporarily.

Tips For Drinking Coffee With Retainers

With frequent coffee use, the effects of the stains might be noticeable over time rather than right away.

After the stains have taken hold of the teeth, it becomes challenging to remove them. The best strategy to avoid dental stains is to eliminate them before they start.

However, as a coffee lover, it’s challenging to stop consuming it immediately.

If you can’t stand starting your day without a cup, try the following tricks to drink coffee with your retainers:

#1. Use A Straw

The liquid will keep out of your teeth if you use a straw. It’s an effective solution for coffee addictions.

If you want to consume hot coffee, it’s advisable to drink with a metal straw.

Besides, adding milk to the drink or ordering a latte instead of dark coffee is a good idea to lessen its darkness.

Furthermore, you can use conventional straws to consume iced coffee.

If you don’t let polyphenols touch your teeth, they won’t get stained or yellowed.

#2. Rinse Your Mouth

Whenever you want to consume coffee, drink water afterward. It’s the best way to rinse your mouth and remove coffee residues after enjoying the drink.

As a result, the coffee afterglow will disappear, which reduces the chance of staining your teeth.

#3. Drink Coffee With Fewer Tannins

The primary cause of tooth and retainer staining is the presence of intense tannins in coffee.

Consuming Kopi Luwak coffee is the only effective way to lessen the tannin content while maintaining the flavor of your drink.

Kopi Luwak coffee won’t suit everyone’s taste, but it’s the ideal drink for those wearing aligners, thanks to its low tannin concentration.

#4. Brush Your Teeth

Ensuring the coffee stains don’t stick to your teeth is one way to prevent them from accumulating.

Do you regularly drink coffee? Bringing your toothbrush along is a good idea if that’s the case.

Brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth with water or plain milk after every cup of coffee will grow into a habit.

After consuming your coffee, brushing your teeth, ideally after one hour, is essential. Also, use a stiff bristle brush to remove the residue and particles left on your teeth.

After you are familiar with brushing your teeth after drinking coffee for weeks, you will feel comfy with this way.

However, it’s worth noting that you should consult your orthodontist to have the ideal time for teeth brushing.

Dos And Don’ts With Retainers

Remember the following things if you don’t want your retainers to be damaged!

Dos:

• Use your devices following your orthodontist’s recommendations.
• Brush your device with cool fresh water to clean it entirely.
• Before eating, remember to take your device out.
• Store your device in a designated container to avoid any accidental damage.
• Whenever visiting your orthodontist, bring your device with you.
• Brush your teeth after eating and before returning the device to your mouth.
• Put your device into your mouth by hand. Ensure you place it in the correct position before biting it down.

Don’ts:

• Don’t eat anything that may damage your device.
• Avoid keeping your device out of the designated box for a long time, which may cause it to be fragile and brittle.
• Never soak your device in alcohol or boil it in water.
• Don’t put your device in a dishwasher.
• Avoid using baking soda to brush your teeth while wearing this device because this substance may leave scratches.
• Never drink other beverages except for water while using your device.

Coffee Alternatives That Won’t Stain Your Teeth

It’s challenging to give up your favorite drink instantaneously. You can consider the following options!

While these alternatives may not bring the same taste and effect, they are pleasant to enjoy in the morning.

White Tea

While green and black tea has antioxidant properties, these may still discolor your teeth.

On the other hand, although white tea originates from identical plants like green tea, it undergoes a minimal process.

Therefore, this tea is more pleasant for teeth, and its health benefits can stay in your drink.

Moreover, according to research, white tea can also prevent gum diseases and cavities. You can easily find this type of tea in any local café.

Rooibos Herbal Tea

Thanks to the nutty flavor, Rooibos herbal tea is well-known as a special tea for coffee lovers. This type doesn’t belong to the tea category. Instead, it’s a tisane.

For this reason, it does not contain the teeth-staining ingredients like the above option. Additionally, Rooibos tea is a hot drink and less likely to stain your teeth.

Yerba Mate

This tea made from holly leaves is typical in South America. It is among naturally caffeinated tea.

It’s worth mentioning that this option is rich in antioxidants and robust like coffee. Besides, it brings the taste of chocolate when consumed.

FAQs

The Bottom Line

Can you drink coffee with retainers? No! It’s not a good idea to consume your drink when wearing your aligners, as your teeth may get stained due to tannins, and your device will be damaged.

However, you can try some tips to enjoy your brew when using retainers, like consuming coffee with straws, rinsing your mouth, brushing your teeth, or opting for drinks with fewer tannins.

If you know other tricks, please comment below to share them with other readers. Thanks for reading!